( o49 )

[gevurah]

[ steve & nudge ]

[ The following is written: ]

Monday 1PM-3PM -- Nudge
Tuesday 1PM-3PM -- Steve
Thursday 12PM-2PM -- Nudge / 2:30PM-4:30PM -- Steve

You don't need to have your own guitar. The music room supplies that.


[ renee ]

[ Where to even start... ]

We should talk.


[ filter ]

Should have said this weeks ago, but thanks.


[ Eh, so what if it's mid-winter and cold outside? It's always warm in the castle, no matter how many windows are kept open or the doors to the outside keep opening and closing. Magic, obviously. Kind of creepy, but it doesn't deter Kate from taking some time today to enjoy a nice swim in the pool. She has it all to herself right now, which is even nicer.

As usual, the journal is open at the side. ]

Seems after returning from Paris, any others who were brought here don't have any recollection of ever being in Paradisa. [ Only one, possibly. ] Doesn't make sense, but that's probably redundant.

It does seem like a shame though, when you've been here a while and then get sent home, only to be dragged back after some time. There's no guarantee on returning with your memories, so you could forget everything you've been taught or taught yourself. [ A beat. ] What would you miss?

Comments

[gevurah]

[ She sighs. ]

I don't know.

[alwaysaquestion]

Well, I don't either.

[She glances up to meet her eyes.]

Is this what you wanted to talk about?

[gevurah]

[ Yes and no. It wasn't the smoothest conversation starter, but at least it's out of the way for now. She does frown at the brusque question. ]

No -- [ She shakes her head, suddenly frustrated. ] Look, I'm trying here. I just -- [ Now it's her turn for her pride to stop her from saying what she wants. ]

[alwaysaquestion]

[She's silent for a moment, waiting for Kate to get out whatever she was trying to say. When it didn't look like she would anytime soon she sighs and shakes her head.]

We've never been very good at this-saying what we mean.

[gevurah]

[ She chuckles, though it's awkward and almost forced. She sounds exhausted. ]

Not really.

[ A pause. ]

It's been so long. For me. [ Even during the time she got to go home temporarily, she was busy with Batman This Is Not Probably a Good Idea Inc. ] I wanted to see you.

[alwaysaquestion]

[Her expression melts a bit into a look of gentle affection. She shrugs.]

I'm here now.

[gevurah]

[ Surprised by that, but it's a pleasant surprise at least. She feels... awkward. Opening herself up like this after so long, and letting her insecurities show. It didn't matter if it was a stranger, Renee, or even her father, she didn't like showing weakness. ]

A magical and sentient castle wasn't how I pictured the reunion. [ Ha... :( ]

[alwaysaquestion]

[That was one thing they had in common. But it was also the reason why a lot of their interactions got so screwed up. Neither was willing to bend a little.]

Since when does life happen how you picture it?

[gevurah]

[ She looks over at Renee, studying her for a moment. ]

The book. [ The crime bible -- and yes, she's still bitter. ] Did you get what you wanted from it?

[alwaysaquestion]

[Her face pinches up in distaste.]

Yeah...not so much. The copy that you worked with me to get? It was a blank.

[And then she had her 'final showdown' with Flay and ended up the new cult leader...at least in the eyes of the followers. She wasn't sure she wanted to get into all of that just yet.]

[gevurah]

[ ... Blank.

Oh my god, but that means Renee still tried to read it. Perhaps she's still on their trail. A cult that wanted Kate dead. ]

Not how you pictured it, huh.

[alwaysaquestion]

[That earned a small chuckle.]

Not exactly.

[gevurah]

Great. So then what? [ Now she feels somewhat upset that they argued over an empty book. ]

[alwaysaquestion]

I tracked Flay's movements to Hub City, where a bunch of cops were being killed by one of their own, one of the cult's followers. When I finally found him he took off and left me some coordinates to follow.

[She hesitates before going on, as quickly as possible.]

I confronted him, we fought, he died, and I was suddenly here.]

[gevurah]

He died? [ Whoa, back up. ]

You should have dropped the book like I said back then.

[ Annoyed? Annoyed. ]

[alwaysaquestion]

More like he used me to commit suicide.

[She notices the annoyance and can't help but silently agree with her.]

He...wanted me to take his place.

[gevurah]

[ She sizes up. ]

I knew that book was bad news. [ And she told her. She explained the reasons.

But more importantly now: ]

Tell me you weren't going to.

[alwaysaquestion]

[Her mouth drops open in shock. Despite being able to admit to herself she might have taken things a little too far, the fact that Kate actually believed she'd...she'd become one of them, hurt.]

No! How can you even ask me that?

[gevurah]

You were going down a dark path, Renee. You talked about how could see the beauty in those books and how seductive it was. I think I have every right to ask!

[alwaysaquestion]

I told you! I needed answers. I needed to know my enemy-inside and out-if I was going to take them down. To do that I needed to know what they believed in.

[Her anger fades and she just looks at Kate, her face set in serious determination.]

I needed to know them.

[gevurah]

[ She's quiet, but it's obvious she's quite displeased. She can't help but feel something worse is waiting somewhere down the path Renee seeks, and by the time she finds out, it'll be too late. She just can't shake it. ]

[alwaysaquestion]

[There's only so much silence she can take before she throws her hands up and turns away.]

What? Nothing to say now?

[gevurah]

[ That gets under her skin. ]

You know how I feel about this. [ Kate just feels... unimportant again. Selfish, as usual. ]

[alwaysaquestion]

Yeah, you've made that clear. What I don't know is why this even matters right now. Flay is dead and I'll have a hell of a time leading a murder cult from here.

[She means the words to hurt, but they still leave a bad taste in her mouth.]

1/2

[gevurah]

[ Kate stares long and hard at Renee, stunned at such a statement. She doesn't know why it matters? ]

It matters to me! It matters because I watched you come back into my life, only to walk out again and again! To choose everything else --